TechRadar Verdict
Affordable email marketing with robust CRM tools, but could improve deliverability and landing page options.
Pros
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Easy-to-use interface and setup
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Powerful email builder with customization options
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Generous free plan (up to 300 emails/day)
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Excellent automation and CRM tools
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SMS and WhatsApp marketing support
Cons
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Limited landing page customization
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Performance issues, including slow loading
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Some advanced features rely on limited credits
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Data importing can be finicky
Why you can trust TechRadar
Brevo, formerly known as Sendinblue, is among the most budget-friendly and best email marketing platforms available today. It's tailored for small to medium-sized businesses, combining email marketing, automation tools, and CRM features into one easy-to-use platform. With professional-grade templates and strong automation workflows, it's already established itself as a firm favorite among marketers.
Brevo provides a free plan for beginners and budget-conscious businesses, allowing unlimited contacts and up to 300 emails daily. It also includes SMS and WhatsApp marketing, which isn't usually found in basic tools.
However, Brevo has its downsides. Users might face minor data import issues and find the landing page features somewhat limited. This could be frustrating for those seeking a more comprehensive tool. Despite this, Brevo's affordability and user-friendliness make it a strong contender in the market.
Brevo review: Core capabilities
Brevo provides a suite of features to simplify email marketing and customer relationship management. At its core is a user-friendly email builder, offering over 60 professional templates that can be tailored to match your brand's look. Users can customize layouts, images, and text, and boost engagement by using recipients' names, locations, or other personalized details.
Brevo shines in automation, allowing users to create workflows that respond to triggers like sign-ups, purchases, or website visits. This automation simplifies managing multiple campaigns by handling repetitive tasks and enabling targeted outreach on a large scale.
A key feature is Brevo's integrated CRM tools, which let you directly manage your customer database within the platform. These tools give detailed insights into user behavior and interaction history, helping you segment your audience for more focused campaigns.
Beyond email, Brevo supports SMS and WhatsApp marketing, enabling engagement with customers across different channels. This multi-channel strategy increases chances to connect with customers where they prefer.
Brevo also offers strong analytics tools for marketing performance insights. Essential metrics like email open rates, click-through rates, and bounce rates are provided, along with heat maps and device-based reports for thorough analysis.
Although these features meet most business needs, some users may find the lack of advanced landing page creation a drawback, limiting full campaign management.
Brevo: Ease of use
Brevo is often praised for its easy-to-use interface. Signing up is quick and takes just a few minutes. The onboarding process includes helpful prompts and guidance, perfect for first-time users.
The email editor is intuitive, with drag-and-drop features that make building email marketing campaigns easy, even if you're not technical. Tasks like uploading a contact list or designing an email campaign are quick and efficient.
New users can also access resources such as tutorials, blogs, and webinars, offering step-by-step guidance to maximize the platform's benefits. However, some users occasionally experience lags and tricky data imports, which can disrupt an otherwise smooth experience.
Brevo customer support
Brevo offers solid customer support with live chat, email, and a detailed knowledge base. However, the tiered approach gets a mixed reception.
Free plan users get basic support, while paid subscribers enjoy faster response times through priority channels. Most users have positive experiences with the support team, but sometimes, responses can be slow during busy periods.
The absence of phone support might be another downside for those needing immediate help. The knowledge base is well-organized and full of tutorials, guides, and FAQs — but that may not be enough for every situation.
Brevo pricing
Plan | Free | Starter | Business | Enterprise |
Price | $0/month | $9-$69/month | $18-$669/month | Custom pricing |
Best for | Small businesses and individuals starting with email marketing | Growing businesses needing basic marketing tools | Marketing managers and e-commerce professionals | Large organizations with specific needs |
Features | 300 emails/day / Unlimited contact / Email templates / Drag & drop editor / SMS marketing / Basic personalization / Email support | No daily sending limit / Up to 2,000 contacts / A/B testing / Advanced statistics / Remove Brevo logo | 20,000 emails/month / Marketing automation / Facebook ads / Landing pages / Multi-user access / Phone support | Unlimited contacts / Advanced integrations / Tailored onboarding / Custom solutions / Dedicated support |
Limitations | Daily email limit / Basic reporting / Brevo branding included / Limited automation | Contact limit restrictions / Limited automation features / Basic multi-user capabilities | Higher cost for small businesses / Some features require add-ons | Expensive for smaller organizations / Requires long-term commitment |
Brevo uses a flexible pricing model that charges based on emails sent, not the number of contacts. The Free Plan costs $0 per month and allows up to 300 emails per day with up to 100,000 contacts, but includes Brevo branding.
The Starter Plan starts at $9 per month, offering 5,000 emails monthly, with an option to remove branding for an extra fee. In some ways the Starter Plan doesn’t add up. After all, if the free plan allows 300 emails a day, that is around 9,000 emails a month if you max it out - 4,000 more than the paid plan. But with no daily limits (you can send all 5,000 emails on one day if you want) and the ability to add up to 500,000 contacts, you get a much greater level of flexibility with the Starter Plan.
The Business Plan starts at $18 per month, providing advanced features like A/B testing, reporting, and additional automation tools.
For businesses with high-volume campaigns or specific needs, the Enterprise Plan offers custom pricing and tailored solutions. Brevo’s pricing adjusts based on email volume, making it suitable for businesses of any size. It offers good value for smaller businesses or those new to email marketing, but heavy senders should evaluate the cost of higher tiers.
Brevo review: Verdict
Brevo offers a great mix of affordability and functionality. With powerful automation tools, CRM integration, and an intuitive design, it's accessible for small and medium-sized businesses. Its multi-channel marketing features also give it an edge over competitors.
However, some downsides include limited landing page capabilities and occasional lags, which might annoy users looking for a more comprehensive solution. Brevo is ideal for businesses that prioritize email marketing over full campaign management.
Brevo FAQs
What makes Brevo different from other email marketing tools?
Brevo offers competitive pricing and charges based on email volume instead of contact count, making it more cost-effective for businesses with large databases. Its built-in CRM and support for SMS/WhatsApp marketing also distinguish it.
Is Brevo good for beginners?
Yes, Brevo is beginner-friendly thanks to its intuitive interface, robust tutorials, and generous free plan. Its drag-and-drop editor simplifies email creation, and the automation tools are easy to implement even for novices.
Does Brevo support advanced marketing automation?
Absolutely. Brevo's automation tools allow users to create workflows triggered by various customer actions, such as email opens or website visits. Advanced users can set up custom workflows for deeper personalization.
Is there a free trial?
Brevo offers a free plan instead of a time-limited trial. This free tier supports up to 300 emails per day, giving users a chance to explore core features before committing to a paid plan.
Can I create landing pages with Brevo?
Brevo allows for basic landing page creation, but it lacks the sophistication and customization options found in dedicated tools like Unbounce or Instapage. For businesses heavily reliant on lead pages, this could be a disadvantage.
Ritoban Mukherjee is a freelance tech and innovations journalist from West Bengal, India. His work focuses on reviews, guides, and features about consumer and business software, such as AI website builders and CRM platforms, among other things. He has been published on Tom's Guide, TechRadar, Creative Bloq, IT Pro Portal, Gizmodo, Medium, Quartz, and Mental Floss.